One Day Internationals

An impressive, all-round performance by the Momentum Proteas saw them clinch victory by seven-wickets over India in the third and last Women’s One-Day International (ODI) at Senwes Park on Saturday. The series ended with India winning 2-1, but the hosts will be pleased to have opened their ICC Women’s Championship account with two points.

A four-wicket haul by Shabnim Ismail and respective, unbeaten scores of 90 and 41 by Mignon du Preez and captain Dane van Niekerk, as well as a half-century by Laura Wolvaardt (59 off 88 balls) saw the home side finally play to the potential they have been discussing.

South Africa took full advantage of two weather interruptions to beat India by 5 wickets on the DLS method at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of sharing the Momentum ODI series. India now lead the series 3-1 with the remaining matches to be played at St.George’s Park on Tuesday and at SuperSport Park on Friday.

In the process the packed Wanderers crowd saluted two new heroes in Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Phehlukwayo who have played a combined total of just 25 ODIs. The pair secured the victory after the Proteas were set a revised target of 202 in 28.4 overs with Klaasen making an unbeaten 43 off 27 balls (5 fours and a six) and Phehlukwayo an almost unbelievable 23 off 5 balls (a four, 3 sixes and a single).

Smriti Mandhana smashed a thrilling 135 runs from 129 deliveries, while Poonam Yadav took a remarkable 4/24 to help India claim an emphatic, 178-run triumph over the Proteas in the second Women’s One-Day International at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Wednesday. The visitors gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

It was a tough day at the office for South Africa all-round, seeing both the batting and bowling units struggle to make an impact. The tourists closed their innings with a daunting 302/3 after being put in to bat first. Mandhana’s knock included 14 fours and a six, while unbeaten half-centuries by Harmanpreet Kaur (55) and Veda Krishnamurthy (51) saw them pile on the runs at the latter part of the Indian innings. The fourth-highest contributor to their scorecard came in the form of 21 runs in extras conceded by South Africa, who will look to improve on that before the last encounter.

Virat Kohli continued his domination of the Proteas bowling attack while the Indian wrist spinners continued their mastery over the home batsmen to give India an inevitable 124-run victory in the third Momentum ODI at PPC Newlands on Wednesday.

The result gives India an invincible 3-0 lead in the six-match series, leaving the Proteas with the unenviable task of winning all three the remaining matches, starting with the PinkDrive ODI at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Saturday, to square the series.

South Africa had no answer to the skills and guile of the Indian wrist spinners as they lost 9 wickets for 67 runs to succumb to a 9-wicket defeat in the second ODI at SuperSport Park on Sunday.

The entire match lasted less than 53 overs as the Proteas were bowled out for 118 runs – the lowest ever total in an ODI at this venue – and India then cantered to victory with the match only going a couple of overs past the lunch interval.